VATSIM invited Mike's longest standing VATSIM friends, and VATSIM Founders George Marinakis and Richard Jenkins to write some personal words on Mike for the VATSIM membership:

It is with heavy hearts that we note the passing of Michael Bevington.

To those of you who have been in the flight simulation community for a long time, you most likely have crossed paths with Mike if not known him. He was a lifelong aviation enthusiast who was one of the earliest members of VATSIM. He contributed greatly to our community through his time on VATSIM’s Board of Governors where he served as the Vice President of Pilot Training. During his tenure, he was instrumental in creating the foundation of what became VATSIM’s Pilot Training Program. He was also one of the primary beta testers for Level-D’s Boeing 767-300ER simulation. This was a ground-breaking, “ahead of its time” simulation that paved the way for many of the “study sim” aircraft that we enjoy today. Those of you who are controllers may have worked one of Mike’s countless flights on VATSIM as AAL327 and MB327 or maybe encountered him in the skies as a fellow virtual pilot.

If you were lucky enough to know him personally, then you knew a man with a warm personality who loved life with a joy most of us could never match. You knew the avid golfer, the fisherman, the tech geek, the diehard St. Louis Cardinal and Notre Dame football fan, the traveler always planning his next adventure and the professional photographer with a knack for capturing moments that most of us could never do even with the best equipment. But most importantly, you knew a man who was devoted to his family. Mike is survived by his wife Jean and his children Bradley and Melissa.

One of Mike’s favorite sayings was “A ship is always safe in the harbor. But that’s not why they build ships”. That’s how he chose to live his life….to the fullest. Blue skies Mike! We are all better for having known you.